It reports that mums who return to work within six months are not only happier than those who stay at home, but that they bond better with their babies.

Though it might be less stressful and less of a juggle, studies show that stay-at-home mothers suffer in other ways and can be unhappier than those who are working.

Mother of four Alicia Cleland left her busy physiotherapy practice after giving birth to her first child Ryan.

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"I wasn't over the top excited about the whole motherhood thing. It sort of grew on me. When I was first pregnant I actually told work, you know, three or four months after I'm planning on coming back. And then I had him and I felt like I changed. That's all I can say," Cleland said.

While she admits she's happier at home, she can understand why mothers who don't get back to work could be depressed.

"It's a hard job being a mum, whether you're at home or not, it's difficult."

Professor Barbara Pocock is the director of the Centre for Work and Life at the University of South Australia and says having children "is not always as happy and enjoyable as some women hope it will be."

Professor Pocock blames the fact that women are having babies in their early thirties now, after spending a decade working.

"What we found in our study is a lot of women get a sense of identity, of contribution, of meaning through their paid work, and they find it easier to control things in the workplace. A baby is not controllable and often people can find themselves isolated at home," she said.

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This feeling is backed by mounting evidence in the US, the UK and here, which says that stay-at-home mothers suffer more depression and are unhappier than working mothers.

A recent Melbourne study, funded by the Federal Government, controversially found mothers who return to work within six months of giving birth bond better with their babies and become 'warmer' parents.

"People who are out of the labour market of course often have high levels of poverty, and they don't have social connections of the job, so it can be a negative thing to be out of the labour market - especially for a long time," Professor Pocock said.

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Mother of two Emma Walsh definitely benefits from working in recruitment. "It just gives us a chance to get a break from the routine of home life, which for many of us can have the same routine day in and day out," she said.

Walsh is the founder and director of Mums At Work and believes working makes her a better mum.

"It gives us a chance to get out, get stimulation with other people, and if we're going to what we did as a professional and continuing our career, well that obviously allows us to continue our development as individuals, and I think it's really important to have an identity that's outside the role of 'mum'," Walsh said.

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This reporter is on Twitter at @LauraSparkes7